90 Days
by Claireabellalou
Summary: When Theodore Nott's mother knocks on his door ten years after her supposed death he is shocked to say the least. When he finds out he has a new step-sister he is stunned but when he finds out that that step-sister is none other than Luna Lovegood, his best friend and the girl he is falling madly in love with it puts him in a difficult situation.


To say Theodore Nott was shocked would have been the understatement of the century. When the wards had alerted him to the presence of someone apparating in the manor he hadn't thought much of it, it was the holidays and Draco often popped over with one of his parents. He walked to the room they used solely for apparating and flooing but was shocked when he was met with the eyes of a dead woman. Or at least, a woman who was supposed to be dead.

He had been just five years old when his mother had died, she had had an incurable bout of Dragon Pox, nothing anyone did could help her. She was gone before he even got to say goodbye. He remembered much of the events that followed, the funeral was sombre but he didn't cry, men didn't cry his father had told him. He had watched as his mother was buried in the ground, placed dirt on her coffin like the bigger men did. She was dead. She was supposed to be dead.

But she was stood in their come and go room like she belonged there and, he supposed, she did. To a degree.

"Moth-mum?" he asked as his voice broke. He didn't know what was going on, how the woman that stood before him was real only that she was.

"Yes son, it's really me."

It turned out that Calla Nott had been hiding from her husband in the muggle world for the past decade though she insisted his father knew where she was. The funeral was all his idea, he had had appearances to keep.

So why was she back? She had fled her abusive spouse fair enough, no woman should have to deal with what Calla had gone through but she made one mistake. She left her son behind.

She tried to explain her actions. The laws dictated that Theo was his father's property, he was the heir afterall. She had no say, no rights. All she could do was get herself out and hope for the best.

So why was she back now? Why after all this time?

He asked, he wasn't really expecting an answer, already too dumbfounded by the events to even think a coherent thought.

But when he heard the words "I met someone" "He's the exact opposite to your father" and the "You will love him" his head snapped back to reality.

It turned out his mother, his supposedly dead mother who had hidden with muggles for the past ten years had somehow come across Xenophilius Lovegood and the pair had struck up a friendship that had lead to something more. There was no divorce in the Wizarding world and his mother would remain Calla Nott until she died but the Lovegoods weren't known for being ones to follow what society dictated. His mother and Xenophilous and had a blessing ceremony and bound their souls to one another. It was as close as marriage as they would ever get.

It put Theo in a bit of an awkward situation since he was already falling madly in love with his now step-sister. Oh fuck!

oOoOoOo

Theo and Luna continued to stay as close as they were, despite their differing houses and obvious war affiliations they were attracted to one another like bees to honey. They would eat together outside each day or study in the library, they spent every minute of their spare time in Hogwarts together since he saw her on the train her first year. They were so close that people often referred to them as boyfriend and girlfriend. But they weren't. He wasn't sure why, something always stopped him from taking that step and asking. She was a pureblood and he knew his father would eventually be thankful that he had at least chosen a girl of whose blood was pure enough despite where her family's loyalties lay. But he was too scared to ask, preferring to stay friends lest he ruin what they had,

It didn't stop how he felt about her though.

When he came of age his mother asked him to move in with them at the Lovegood house. He thought about it for a while before accepting, he already spent so much time there it only made sense to make things permanent. Luna was still in school for another year but she came home every holiday. He missed her desperately.

Theo had always been fascinated with Dragons as a little boy and with nothing else to do he threw himself into researching them all he could. He spent the next year making trip after trip around the world learning every small detail he could about the beautiful creatures but always made sure to be home in time for the school holidays to see Luna.

When she was home they were even more inseparable than usual, they grew closer every day and often barely left Theo's bed where Luna would find herself each night. They would sit up and talk about their love of crazy and wild creatures. He would listen as Luna talked for hours on end about things he didn't even know existed. They would play guitar and write nonsensical songs about the most mundane things ever. It was beautiful and at the same time destroying.

Things came to a head after Luna graduated. Theo made sure his trip was done in time to see his best friend and step-sister graduating. He stood proud as she received top marks in nearly all of her subjects and especially in Care of Magical Creatures and he clapped as loud as her father did when it was her turn to walk across the transfigured stage.

They took a few months each before they decided what they wanted to do, Theo had money and lot's of it. He didn't need to do anything. He could just as well live off the Nott vaults for all he wanted but that was never his destiny. He wanted to work with dragons. The problem was there were no open spots on any dragon reserves in or around Britain. The only place he knew with an open space was Romania and he had only found that out because Luna had told him and Ron had told her.

He decided not to pursue it. He couldn't be that far away from her for so long, even the thought made him nervous. Luna tried to push him on the matter but he wouldn't budge. He knew it was ridiculous, knew he was holding a flame for a girl he never should have developed feelings for in the first place but he couldn't help the attraction. She was everything. She was light. She was untainted and kindhearted and she was the moon to his stars and he had fallen for her like one might fall into an open well. Fast and hard.

He hadn't been expecting her to kiss him. Years ago he'd talked himself into thinking his feelings were all one sided and so when they were lay on his bed one night after she had graduated, him looking at the ceiling to his room where stars shined brightly in the dim light and her on her stomach looking down, watching him; he had been caught off guard when her lips met his.

He turned slightly, his hand raising to cup the side of her face as he kissed her back with every cell and fiber he had in his body. When they pulled apart minutes later, panting deeply trying to catch their breaths, Luna looked him in the eye and said "I love you Theodore Nott."

Theo wasn't sure why he did it but he panicked, he jumped off the bed almost pushing Luna over and started to pace frantically. The kiss, Merlin the kiss. It had been everything and more and Luna, she had said those three words he wanted to hear more than anything else in his entire life but it was wrong, she was his sister and she couldn't love him. Not like that. Not like he wanted. He apparated out and to Nott manor, taking the first portkey to Romania the next day and, after interviewing for the job as Dragon Handler he was offered the position. He took it readily and threw himself into his work.

He worked day in day out, took what overtime he could get his hands on to take his mind off of the blonde goddess he had left at home. It hurt, knowing what he had done. It was killing him but it was for the best. It's not like he was any good for her without the whole brother and sister thing anyway. He was the son of a death eater and she was the moon.

oOoOoOo

It took eleven years, eleven lonely years for Theo to return home and even then he only did it when he could no longer ignore his father's owls every day.

He portkeyed to Nott manor with all the grace of the pureblood prince he was raised to be and greeted his father as if he had just seen him the night before.

It didn't take long to get down to business and find out why he had been called home, Thoros Nott didn't mince his words. He was dying. He didn't have long. There was no way to save him. He had six months at most and if he lasted that long he would be lucky. He needed to get his affairs in order and Theo was the heir, he needed to learn the ropes of all that came with it.

What Theo had never known before was that for him to inherit his rightful fortune he had to be married. And he had to be married before his thirtieth birthday or he would forfeit his entire inheritance. Or, his mother would be the one to inherit the lot.

Theo was shocked and very annoyed at finding out there was a clause, he had never been told of such a thing in all the time his father had been 'preparing' him for the role though if truth be told he had been supposed to marry Daphne Greengrass when he came of age but instead he had refused and buggered off to Romania to wrangle dragons. And now he was faced with the news that his mother might get her hands on his ancestors' galleons. It's not that he didn't love the witch, in fact that was the problem, he loved her more than he wanted. More than he should considering what she'd done. He didn't trust her though and their relationship was strained since he still hadn't forgiven her for leaving him behind. He really didn't want her to get her hands on the money even if she was still married to his father.

Ninety days. That's how long it was until he was to turn thirty. Ninety days he had to find a witch who would bind herself to him for the rest of forever in exchange for unlimited access to his family's fortune.

He was screwed.

oOoOoOo

When Draco, Blaise and Pansy found out their old friend was back in the country they dragged Theo to The Leaky Cauldron for a night on the piss while they celebrated his return and mourned his predicament.

Things had been going as well as to be expected, they drank shot after shot of Firewhiskey while Blaise checked out the pickings (which were slim since most of the witches were either really old or fresh out of Hogwarts). Theo was just about to decline a sixth shop when he saw a familiar flash of bright blonde hair. He groaned, drank down a shot and chased it with another two.

His friends didn't miss the change in Theo's behaviour and though none of them had been privy to exactly what happened between the pair when they saw Luna things began to click into place, they'd all been aware of the strange friendship the two had in school and believed there was more going on than Theo would admit but they never pushed...too far.

"So I take it you didn't keep in touch" Draco surmised as he watched Theo squirm.

"Hardly"

"She's your sister"

"Step-sister. And that was kind of the reason."

"I don't understand"

Theo sighed and drank another shot before Luna spotted him. She walked over to his booth much more confidently than he knew she was and placed her drink on the table as she greeted her step-brother for the first time in over a decade.

"It's nice to see you're home Theodore, how long until you have to get back to beloved dragons of yours?"

Theo cringed, this was so unlike Luna. "I not sure actually." Was all he said.

They were both curt and polite, nothing at all like their normal selves.

"Do mum and dad know you're home?"

Theo winced, he hadn't thought to see his mum though in all fairness he still held a grudge over her leaving when he was a child. "Not yet. I'll go and see them tomorrow."

Luna forced a smile before she said "I might see you there"

It was evident he wouldn't be seeing her there, if he went.

She walked off after that and Theo emptied the rest of the table's Firewhiskey down his throat as his friends stared at him.

"Well that was-" Pansy started.

"Awkward?" Blaise supplied.

"I was thinking fucked up." Draco interjected.

After that Theo decided it was time to get well and truly shitfaced, he ordered the most expensive and strongest Firewhiskey the bar stocked as he tried to ignore just how much more beautiful Luna had become with age.

Merlin he hated himself, he hated himself because he still wanted her. Still craved to be around her. Was still attracted to her like she was the honey and he was the bee.

He tried not to watch as she sat with Ginny and Hermione and they drank their drinks. He tried not to notice how toned she was or how amazing her legs looked. He felt a stab in his chest when he did notice that her smile didn't reach her eyes like it used to or when her laugh sounded so ...false.

Pansy left first, she had some Weasley brats to get home to afterall. When Theo had found out that Pansy, Pansy Parkinson had married Ronald Weasley he and Charlie Weasley had laughed themselves silly for the best part of an hour before a Chinese Fireball nearly had their heads off.

Draco left next and Blaise wasn't far behind before Theo was all alone. He drank and drank, his tolerance was high since there wasn't a lot else to do on the reserve other than drink and besides, he usually had a lot he wanted to forget. But tonight he wanted to forget everything.

oOoOoOo

When he woke the next morning Theo had no idea where he was for a while. He was in a strange bed in a strange flat that was decorated rather peculiarly. Then it suddenly dawned on him when he saw a picture on the bedside table.

He was in Luna's flat. In Luna's bed and the picture was one of them when they were younger. He groaned, clearly frustrated with himself for getting so drunk that Luna had had to take him home.

"Is everything okay?" Luna asked as she popped her head around the doorway.

"No" He groaned."Why am I here"

"You were drunk, I didn't know where you were staying."

"Drunk was the point."

"Too drunk to apparate?"

"I would have been fine"

"You would have splinched yourself"

Theo ignored Luna as he checked he was clothed (thanking Salazar he was) before he got out of the bed and walked into the livingroom.

It turned out Luna lived with Ginny Weasley, both witches were single and while Ginny was playing for the Holyhead Harpies Luna was running The Quibbler by herself. Theo was very impressed.

He showered and took a sober up potion while Luna cleaned his clothes and when he was washed and no longer throwing up the three sat around the breakfast table to eat.

Tensions were eased slightly since the night before and Theo was able to talk to Luna without it being too awkward. Eventually Ginny excused herself for quidditch practice leaving the pair alone.

"Do you have to go?" Luna asked as he stood idly in her kitchen

Theo swallowed hard as he heard the hint of desperation in her voice. He wanted to make it better but he couldn't. He stayed though, it was the least he could do.

oOoOoOo

Over the next few weeks Theo became a main fixture in Luna and Ginny's flat, he slept in their spare room because he didn't want to go back to living with his parents. He visited both parents most days and grew closer to Luna.

Though the air still hung thick with the past neither could bring themselves to talk about it.

It wasn't until a month later that Theo actually gave the idea to marrying someone any thought. When it became clear his father wasn't going to alter the clause that was the problem in the first place Theo finally gave into Pansy's demands to meet the 'perfect witch'

The 'perfect witch' turned out to be Lavender Brown. No, no, no. No.

He went on a couple more blind dates though all were as horrific or even worse than the one before until, with six weeks to go he put his foot down.

The Slytherin's had been spending a lot of time at Luna's, it's not like they weren't already welcome, Pansy was Ginny's sister in-law after all but with Theo staying there Draco and Blaise would often pop over to spend their nights along with Pansy and Ron when they could get a sitter.

"What about Millie?" Ron asked one night.

"Lesbian" Pansy reminded her husband.

They sat for hours as they went over every pureblood witch they could think of until Ginny made the proposition. "Look, I know I'm not your type and, to be honest you're not mine either but well, if you're that desperate I suppose we could make it work." She offered. Ginny was still reeling from her recent breakup with Blaise and it seemed making rash decisions was how she got over him.

Everyone fell silent, Ron was about to pipe up that no way was he allowing his sister to just give herself up like that until a swift elbow to his ribs reminded him it was her choice. Luna left the room.

Theo declined at first but after another week of finding no loopholes he gave in and the pair set a date.

He'd tried to stay away from Luna after that, he really did but the truth was he couldn't help that his body just automatically turned to her when she walked into a room or that he would look up at the sound of her voice. Eventually Luna started to lock herself in her room, only coming out for meal times and and the occasions where she had to go into work and Theo began to feel lonely.

Having her back in his life had started to fill a void he had long ago created, being able to talk to her so easily - even with the tensions of their past hanging in the air - had been freeing. Laying on her bed and playing the guitar, reciting their old ridiculous songs had made him smile. Actually smile. For the first time in over a decade. And now she was retreating from him again because he was about to marry her best friend. He knew it wasn't ideal but honestly, what else could he do. She apparated out of her bedroom every morning and into it each night and unless he was going to blast the door down and force her to sit down there was nothing he could do.

oOoOoOo

When Luna had been on the Hogwarts Express for the first time she had sat alone. Her yellow sundress, teal tights and pink cardigan coupled with the daisies in her hair made people think she was odd long before she even opened her mouth. She didn't mind, she rather liked her own company, had grown used to it even. She was an only child and her mother had died when she was seven. It had been just her and her father since and he worked so much that sometimes it was just her.

She opened up the Quibbler she had brought along with her for the ride, preferring to read it to the nation's favourite; The Daily Prophet which she personally thought was full of lies surrounded by nargles and entwined with doxies. She wouldn't have read it if there was nothing else left to read she rather liked making up her own mind about whether or not dimple-bottomed-forget-me-nots were real instead of having Rita Skeeter decide for her. No, the Quibbler was better. Even if she was slightly biased.

She was sat in the last compartment, the only one that had been empty, when the door opened and a tall boy with brown hair and green eyes let himself in before sitting across from him.

"Hello, I'm Theo" he said brightly as he grinned at her.

Luna was shocked, no one had spoken to her yet, they all took one look at her attire and deemed her unworthy of listening but this boy, this boy sat with ease. He didn't seem to care what she wore or that her paper was upside down, he just wanted her name.

"I'm Luna" she answered back.

"What are you reading Luna?"

Luna moved over to the seat Theo was on and shared the paper so it was between them. The pair spent the rest of the journey pouring over the parchment, discussing their favourite animals and monsters, debating on the whereabouts of the blue mountain shrimpelows and eating as much sweets off the cart as they could manage before the it was time to get dressed.

"See you at the feast" Theo said as he left the cart.

It quickly became apparent that despite their differing houses the pair were inseparable. Luna would usually get to the great hall before Theo and pack them some food before meeting him outside the doors and the pair would sit beneath a tree near the lake and enjoy their meal. They would go the library and study even though she was a year younger, Care of Magical Creatures became their favourite topic to discuss.

As the years passed the pair grew closer than ever, while Hogwarts was threatened with something new each year Luna sought comfort from the one person she trusted; Theo.

It had been in Luna's third year that people started to comment on how much time they spent together. Apparently they got the first two years for free but after that it couldn't possibly be platonic.

In her fourth year she had been home for the holidays when her father had told her he had met someone. It had turned what she knew of her world upside down. She turned to Theo for solace and in the process found her feelings for her new step-brother had changed.

She'd known they would. From the moment she met him she could feel the bond they shared, she could see it; like a golden ribbon of light that flowed between them. She knew that they were destined for more than friendship but she never mentioned it. As the years passed she felt herself drawn more and more to him until one day she realised everyone was right, it wasn't just platonic anymore.

She didn't tell him how she felt, deciding to wait for a sign but each day her feelings grew deeper and deeper until by the time he graduated she cried herself to sleep worrying about how she would last through the next year without their picnics or study sessions.

When he announced he was going to be away for part of the year her legs almost buckled beneath her until he explained he would be home for her holidays. She would have asked him to meet for Hogsmeade weekends too but felt it was too selfish.

He kept to his promise and eventually she graduated, she watched him in the crowd as he cheered and whistled harder than anyone else. She watched him smile as she received top marks in Care of Magical Creatures and that night they went out to celebrate as a family of four.

As the months passed she tried to get him to take up a job offer she had found that was perfect for him. The idea of him being so far away created a black hole she did her best to ignore as she pushed and pushed while he adamantly refused.

When she asked why she was expecting him to say it was too far but she wasn't expecting him to say it was too far from her. Her heart beat in her chest and her blood rushed to her ears as his words repeated in her head. It was too far from her. Did he feel the same then? Was this it? Had they finally gotten their acts together and given in to the bond? She was lay on her stomach, looking down into his green eyes as he stared at the ceiling and she couldn't help it because all of a sudden she couldn't hold her feelings in any longer. She kissed him. She kissed him like it was the most normal thing and, when he parted his lips, when he cupped her face and pulled her closer she sighed because he was hers. She saw the bond growing stronger. It pulsed and glowed and wrapped itself around them as they lay in a mess of tangled limbs on his bed. "I love you Theodore Nott" she whispered when they finally fell apart, their foreheads resting against one another.

She watched his eyes close as he relished those words until, a second later he jumped up and started to pace furiously.

She didn't know what to do. He was scaring her and he'd never done that before. She tried to listen as he muttered to himself but only caught a few words here and there though they were enough to make her eyes fill with unshed tears. "Sister" "wrong" "can't" and then he stopped pacing, he turned to face her and spared her one last glance. One glance was all she got before he was gone.

She found out two days later when an owl turned up for his mother that he was in Romania and then from Ron a week later that he had gotten the job. She cried herself to sleep every night hating herself for taking the leap even though she knew, knew in her heart he felt the same. She saw it in how he looked at her before he left, she felt it in the way he kissed her back, the way their magics had fused and the bond had strengthened. She didn't regret it. If she only ever got to kiss him once it was worth it. She could never regret it no matter how much it hurt to miss him.

oOoOoOo

Theo went home later that night, Luna and Ginny were already in bed so he followed suit. He lay awake tossing and turning, mulling everything over in his brain until the sun rose again and the only logical explanation was to get up. He wasn't sure how they did it but both girls had already left for work when he had showered and dressed so he went to visit Pansy figuring he needed a girls help. Besides, Blaise had been avoiding him since Ginny offered to marry him and, well, he had enough issues to deal with without trying to sort out that mess too. He explained everything to Pansy as she bounced a baby on her knee, he told her what had happened with Luna, how he felt about her and how she was ignoring him. He told her she was avoiding him and how he hadn't seen Blaise since Ginny offered to marry him and, on top of that, he barely even saw Ginny either.

"Cancel the ceremony" Pansy said with a heavy sigh.

"What?"

"Look at it this way Theo, you love Luna, Luna loves you. Ginny loves Blaise and Blaise loves her. If you marry Ginny you will end up resenting each other and you will both lose Luna and Blaise. Is it worth it? Is wealth worth that much to you?"

"You know what will happen if I don't marry."

"Your mother will inherit everything, I know. But really, is it worth it for a lifetime of unhappiness?"

"You know I never thought Pansy Parkinson would be the one to lecture me about wealth not being everything." Theo joked as he tickled the baby's feets.

"Apparently that happens when you marry a Weasley." Pansy smirked.

Pansy used her owl to write to Blaise and Ginny, she had them meet the following evening, both assuming they were meeting her for dinner.

Theo went home that night with a lot to think about. Both girls were already in bed just as he expected so he pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey and decided to drink. Apparently there was no such thing as thinking with a clear head because each time he tried to figure out what to do he ended up having another drink.

It was 3am when Luna emerged from her room to get a glass of water. She almost didn't see Theo sat in the dark but the bond pulled her closer to him until his shadow was in sight. Then she could smell the alcohol, he reeked of it.

"Celebrating?" She asked as nonchalantly as she could muster. Her insides were twisting and she desperately wanted to reach out at touch him, hold him, be held by him.

"Suppose you could say that" Theo slurred.

Luna sighed, he'd drank more than enough but it wasn't her place to tell him so.

"What do you care anyway? Can't even be in the same room as me can you?" He continued.

Luna, who was normally a calm witch, who never let anything as trivial as temper get the better of her flew off the handle at his comment because how could he not know. "You're just like her you know" she said calmly "you're just like your mother."

Theo blinked. "What?" He asked.

"You left. You left Theo. You left me. After everything you just left like I was nothing to you."

Theo blinked, he put the bottle down on the tables and stood slowly. "Don't you see? I didn't leave because you were nothing to me." He edged closer, they were a hair's breadth away from each other now. "I left because you were everything to me."

His voice was soft and gentle and she could taste the honey that was in the Firewhiskey he drank. Her head began to fill with a fog as his breath tickled her neck. They hadn't been so close in over a decade and she hated how her body betrayed her when what she wanted right now was to escape him. "You abandoned me Theo. No owls, nothing. You ran away, just like she did. Like mother like son." She hated herself for saying it but it was the only way she could get an even footing with him being so close and filling her senses. But it was the truth, a harsh truth but a truth.

He backed away, he eyes closing over as the words sunk in. He knew Luna knew he hadn't ever forgiven his mother. She was the only person he had ever told his true feelings on the matter to and to have her compare them like that, it snapped something inside of him. He looked at her once more, she was practically pinned to a wall beneath him, he left her there as he went to his room. Because she was right. How could he expect her to forgive him if he hadn't forgiven his mother?

He woke the next day when it was already afternoon, he quickly sent an owl the restaurant that Blaise and Ginny were unknowingly meeting, ready for them to open and find out he had cancelled the wedding and, after finding some sober up potion took a shower before apparating to the Lovegood house. Luna had once again left before he woke.

He went to visit his mother when he couldn't stand it anymore. He forgave his mother. He told her how he had held on to his pain for all those years, how he had let it fester and grow inside of him and how he had found it easier each day to be away from her. He told her how he didn't want to hate her anymore and how he understood why she did what she did and that he forgave her. She cried tears of joy and threw her arms around him and the pair sat together as they had their first unstrained conversation since she came back.

Then he told her everything. Everything he had felt from the first time he had seen the doe eyed blonde witch on the Hogwarts Express holding an upside down paper and reading it like it was the most normal thing in the universe. He told his mother how he had felt that day she came back into his life. How he had felt to find out the girl he was falling for was his new sister. He told her about their friendship and their picnics. How they had fallen asleep together more times than not when they were living under the same roof. He told her how he had missed her that year after his graduation, how he had made sure to be home when he knew she would be there. How they had gotten closer and how he felt. He told her about the kiss, about how, out of every kiss with every other woman he had had nothing had compared. How it had touched his soul and heart. He told her that he had panicked when Luna said those three words he craved more than anything and how he had spent the past eleven years regretting his actions whilst simultaneously trying to get over the witch.

Calla Nott sat quietly as her son poured his heart out. She listened as he explained everything that had happened since his return to Britain, his father's plan to have him married before his thirtieth birthday. How after weeks and weeks of no plans Ginny Weasley had offered herself to be his. How Luna couldn't even look at him anymore and would do her utmost to be as far away from him as possible. How he missed her.

"I don't know what to do." He said with his head in his hands as he finished his story.

"You need to tell Luna the truth son."

"I can't...I just...I can't. I hurt her mum, I port-keyed out like she was nothing to me and I just left. She hates me. She should hate me."

"You and I both know that Luna doesn't hate anyone."

"Well if she did I'd be top of the list." Theo mumbled.

"Talk to her. Before it's too late."

The wedding date had been set for the day before his birthday just two days away and he was starting to get anxious.

oOoOoOo

When he got back he noticed Ginny hadn't come home, he silently thanked Pansy fr sorting the pair's mess out and sat up waiting for Lua to come out for a drink like she had the night before. She didn't come. He waited and waited, desperately needing to talk to the witch, needing to apologise, tell her the wedding was cancelled and that he honestly didn't care but she never came out. Eventually he knocked on her door but there was no answer. Assuming she had already apparated to work he left himself. He ha to tell his father that he wouldn't be marrying.

That was a meeting that didn't go down well. His father wasn't a good man, he wasn't kind and he certainly didn't know love and the last thing the man wanted was for his wife to get ahold of his family's fortune after being shacked up with a Lovegood for the past fifteen years. He had been so sure his son would marry the first pure-blooded witch he could find for fear of losing his inheritance that he hadn't put much stock into what may happen if he didn't.

Theo told his father about Luna, he told him everything he had told his mother only to be told there was no such thing and that he was wasting a good thing with Ginny, that he was throwing away everything their ancestors had worked hard for. He'd said love was a fairytale told to children by old hags and that no pureblood ever loved his wife. He offered to find him a suitable witch but Theo declined, he told his father he wouldn't be marrying anyone, that he had too much making up to do with Luna, that he couldn't possibly love anyone like her and that he wouldn't marry for anything less than love.

He went home then, Ginny still hadn't returned but he knew Luna was back since there was a light coming from under her door. He sighed and walked over, knocking once. She didn't answer so he knocked again and when that didn't work he called her name.

"Luna I know you're there I can see your light." He said as he stood idly at her door. "Luna please talk to me."

Silence.

"Fine, if you won't talk then maybe you can listen." He said as he slid down the door and made himself comfortable. It was going to be a long night.

He apologised, he started from the beggining and apologised for every little thing. He told her how she made him feel and how he had been scared because the only person he had ever loved had left him. He laughed at that when he had to apologise for being the one to run. How he had been terrified of love but never of her, how he had thought about her every day and drank to numb the Luna shaped void in his heart. He told her she was right, he was like his mother, he explained he had forgiven his mother, that he had swallowed his pride and given her a chance. "I'm sorry love." He said quietly, his head in his hands as he sat outside her door, not knowing if she was listening or had put up a silencing charm.

"Did you mean that?" A calm voice asked from across the room.

Theo looked up to see Luna stood in a towel, emerging from the bathroom. She was already dry and apparently had heard everything.

He nodded. "Y-yes" he said as his eyes met hers.

"Which part?"

"All of it"

He stood then and took a couple of steps closer. "I never meant to hurt you." He whispered.

"I know" Luna sighed as she let herself drift closer.

"I understand if you hate me."

Their eyes were still fixed on one another as she frowned. "I don't hate you Theo, I love you."

He gulped, his adam's apple bobbed at her admission. "I love you too." He admitted. "I always loved you Luna. From the first time I saw you."

"I don't know if it's enough."

"I cancelled the ceremony." Theo offered weakly.

"You did? But what about-"

"All the galleons in the world wouldn't make me as happy as you do." He admitted.

"Mmm...well what about your mother?" Luna asked.

"Already told her."

"Your father?" She wasn't sure what she was trying to achieve but she needed to make sure she wasn't hurt again.

"Told him too, he wasn't happy. Offered to set me up." Theo scoffed, he took a step closer, closing the distance between the two of them. "I told him I want you. That it's always been you." He started to trace his finger down the side of her face as his voice grew deeper. "You're the first girl I ever kissed and I want you to be the last."

"You don't know what you want." Luna replied as her voice hitched when Theo's thumb traced her lips.

"I know I want to fall asleep next to you every night and wake up with you every morning. I know I want to seal the blasted bond that's been driving me crazy since I was twelve years old."

"You know about the bond?" Luna's eye lit up as she stared into his. She had thought she wa the only one of them to know.

"Of course I know, how could I feel for you the way I do and not know. I know who you are and what you are and that scared me but I'm willing to work for your forgiveness."

Luna leaned into Theo without meaning to, his touch sent sparks through her entire being and she just wanted his thumb to be his lips. See if they were as soft as she remembered them. "That might take some time."

"All the time you need love" he said before he wrapped his arms around her and eld her properly for the first time in years.


End file.
